Hi!
For my Module B assessment task I have been asked to record my own personal interpretation/reading of a poem from Yeats' oeuvre.
I have chosen 'An Irish Airman Foresees his Death'.
Do you have any tips on how I can 'skilfully inform' my perspective and understanding audibly?
Hey there! I studied W B Yeats and really enjoyed it. I've posted my study notes for Yeats and his poems
here for free download
Read as widely as you can about the poem, including the context of Yeats in relation to Lady Gregory, his anti-war personal feelings, and the literary period he was in. My notes will start you off on this.
For me, a beautiful aspect of the poem is tension and balance (actually, his entire oeuvre pretty well. But, this poem particularly. I always talked about balance and tension for Yeats). The rhyming scheme reflects this balance as he eloquently balances the request of Lady Gregory and her mourning, but also his duty to be truthful in his sentiments (about war) in his poetry. The content of the poem, as well as the form, reflects this tension between his purpose and his content.
What do you think of the poem? If you want to chat about the poem, I'll happily explore it with you